16th
Dropped off the map!
Sorry for dropping of the map so completely the last couple of weeks.
At 10am on Monday the 4th of Feb,I received a call from St Vincent’s Hospital . One of those calls you hope will never come, you try and plan for, but when they do, you’re completely floored. Tania’s Doctors wanted us to come to Sydney as soon as possible as she had contracted an infection and her condition was deteriorating rapidly. So I collected the kids and headed off.
When we arrived Her Doctor informed me that she was very ill. The particular bug could not be identified, but her kidneys were failing and her lungs were filling with fluid and blood. The had not admitted her to intensive care as they thought she was so week that if she was intubated and connected to dialysis, there was little likelihood of her recovering.
So we waited. I’ll never forget the look on her face as she struggled for each breath. Her condition continued to worsen until the Intensive care doctors decided she had to be intubated as lack of oxygen to the brain was affecting her brain function and they feared that if left any longer permanent brain damage may result.
So at 8.30 pm she was taken to intensive care and we didn’t see her again until 4am the following morning. By then her condition had stabilised, she was put into a coma and connected to life support.
The waiting then began in earnest. On Tuesday the only good news was that her kidney function had not gotten any worse, however the bad news was that the Doctors still hadn’t isolated the bug, and we were informed that they would be conducting a bone marrow biopsy to determine if any leukaemia cells were present in her marrow. The result would dictate the voracity of further treatment.
Wednesday saw no worsening of her condition, and in the absence of any other information we took this as good news.
Thursday was very mixed. It happened to be Tania’s 40th birthday. However, on the positive side her kidney function had improved and the bacteria causing the problem was identified, so the correct antibiotics could be prescribed.
Friday saw no change, so again we read that as no news being good news.
Saturday was another mixed day. Her kidney function was improving, the antibiotics were appearing to work on some of the fluid in her lungs, however , bleeding into her lungs was proving difficult to control, as her platelet count was not rising despite numerous transfusions.
Things change very quickly in the ICU. By Sunday Tania’s condition had improved to the point that consideration would be given to attempting to wake her up should her progress continue for another 24 hours.
Monday. Tania was able to breathe on her own, so the tubes were removed and she was woken up. And things being as they are with bed shortages she was sent back to her ward Monday evening. Monday night was the longest night of my life. I was able to stay with her 24 hours a day once she was discharged from ICU, and the deterioration in her general condition after eight days was frightening. She still needs constant monitoring and she still has difficulty swallowing and speaking let alone standing. We were warned that she may have some permanent memory loss as a result of the oxygen deprivation and the drugs used to sedate her. And as such Tania has no recollection of any thing at all since November, and still is sketchy about things even further back. I suppose it should be considered a blessing she can’t recall the last week.
She continues to improve. Her blood is doing what it should, so far the transplant has been successful, although there has been no sign of graft v’s host disease. (Which she needs a slight dose of so her body knows that she has a new imune system and hopefully the leukaemia will stay away)
I’m only back in Wagga overnight, youngest daughter has to go back to school Monday. All being well, Tania will be well enough for me to go back to work the week after next.
